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JŇANA DARŠANA & CARITRA IN JAINISM
By Dr. B. C. Law, M. A., LL, B., Ph. D., D. Litt. Right belief, right knowledge and right conduct, constitute the path to liberation and they are called three gems in Jainism, as the Buddha (the Enlightened ), Dharma ( the Doctrine ) and Sangha (the order) are recognised in Buddhism as three gems (ratnatraya). Each of them can be considered in its threefold aspect, e. g., the subject, the object and the means. The knowledge which embraces concisely or in details the predicaments as they are in themselves is called the right knowledge and without which right conduct is impossible. (Nahar and Ghosh, An epitome of Jainism, p. 35). In right knowledge there is the knower, the known, and the means of knowing. In right belief there is the believer, that which is believed and the means of believing. In right conduct there is the pursuer of conduct, conduct itself, and the means of conducting. The right belief is the basis upon which the other two rest. It is the cause and right knowledge is the effect. Right conduct is caused by right knowledge and implies both right knowledge and right belief. Right knowledge proceeds from right vision by a coherent train of thought and reasoning and which can lead to right conduct without which the attainment of the goal in vision will be impossible. The five kinds of knowledge are the following: (1) knowledge through the instrumentality of sense, (2) knowledge derived from the study of scriptures, ( 3 ) direct knowledge of matter within the limits of time and space, (4) direct knowledge of other's thoughts and ( 5 ) perfect knowledge. The five kinds of conduct according to the Sūtrakritānga (1, 1, 4, 10-13) are the following : Equanimity, recovery of equanimity after a downfall, pure and absolute non-injury, all but entire freedom from passion, and ideal and passionless state. Right belief, right knowledge, right conduot, and right austerities are called the ärādhanās. Right belief depends on the acquaintance with truth, on the devotion to those who know the truth, and on the avoiding of schismatical and heretical
